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Problematic Memory Module


bmurphr1

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Hi RAM GUY,

 

A little while back I purchased from Newegg.com a new 512MB stick of ValueSelect PC3200 Unbuffered memory. For not too long I used the stick of memory in an older system that would only run the memory at PC2100. I was planning ahead of time, knowing I would try to use this stick of memory in the distant future. Now that I am using the stick of memory, I've been having problems with it.

 

Epox 8RDA+ mobo

Athlon XP 2600+ CPU w\ Thermalright SK-6 heatsink and 80mm fan

120GB WD 7200rpm 8MB buffer hard drive

80GB WD 7200rpm 8MB buffer hard drive

Antec 450W PS

NEC 16x DVD Burner

AOpen Geforce 4MX 64MB 440 Video card

 

I've tested this stick in two other computers besides my own, and they do the same thing. As it turns out, this particular stick cannot run on PC3200, only PC2100. I've tried everything I know to do to be able to get this stick to operate at 3200, but there is no avail. I've reset the BIOS, tweaked memory settings, and twice tried bumping up the memory voltage just a tad to see if it just needed more power. I've also tried running it at PC2700, but alas still the same problem. The PC will attempt to boot, but once I get to the Windows XP screen, I get blue screens galore. Occasionally it will make it into the Windows GUI, but once loaded up, even Solitaire is unstable. Am I just missing something here, or do I have a bad module? TIA

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Thank you very much for your response. I should note though that the 8RDA+ will in fact run memory at DDR400, as I have done so with another name brand of memory (Kingston or Mushkin, can't quite recall). With this particular motherboard I believe, the clockrate of the memory and FSB are independent of one another (or so the BIOS reports anyway). I also have upped the voltage all the way up to I believe 2.790 volts, and still the same problem.

 

Would not the memory module be stable at PC2700(DDR333) though? I'm having to operate this stick at PC2100 for it to be remotely stable, which it seems to be for as long as I've used it in this system. Thanks in advance.

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Yes thats true as long as you have a 200 FSB CPU. But if your CPU speed is 166 MHz or faster you would have to run the memory frequency at 100% or 1-1 with the CPU. This is a chipset limitation and may be why you are having problems.
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Yes thats true as long as you have a 200 FSB CPU. But if your CPU speed is 166 MHz or faster you would have to run the memory frequency at 100% or 1-1 with the CPU. This is a chipset limitation and may be why you are having problems.

 

I believe I understand now, just disappointed at the fact that even with this motherboard since my FSB is 333mhz now that I'd only be able to run at DDR333/PC2700 at best. I guess this means I'll be needing to tweak around a little bit more before I'll be able to get this stick to run at PC2700 then.

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